


Over the Edge, I’m Just Breathless

by inthisdive



Category: Disney RPF
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-06-24
Updated: 2009-06-24
Packaged: 2017-10-24 22:24:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/268536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inthisdive/pseuds/inthisdive
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s weird how it isn’t awkward. Or it’s weird how it’s not weird that it’s not awkward," Ashley said</p>
            </blockquote>





	Over the Edge, I’m Just Breathless

*

"It’s weird how it isn’t awkward. Or it’s weird how it’s _not_ weird that it’s not awkward," Ashley said once in The Beginning (as Vanessa always remembers it now, complete with capitalisation) and she understood perfectly what she’d meant, for all the Ashley-ness of the delivery. They _fit_ ; they were knotted together and Vanessa held tightly to their loose ends so they would never unravel.

It was Zac, her steady and perfect boy, that had cemented it, and it had been as simple as a kiss, as simple as the way his hands had settled at Ashley’s hips when he called them a family. It was Zac that had made it real, made it theirs.  
But it was Vanessa, Vanessa and Ashley (and still as simple as a kiss) that had started it.

*

It was the way the sun caught the blonde in her hair and she was haloed, door framed and unexpected. What else could it have been? Vanessa felt sunstruck, dazzled, and Ashley’s smile was warm and familiar and comfortable; it felt like home, like exactly everything in the universe Vanessa could care about. She had opened the door expecting to find Ashley; she opened the door and found _this_.

"Hey you," Vanessa said to her, a touch of colour in her cheeks, and the walls fell away, the ground slipped from beneath her, and the only things left in existence was the two of them – Vanessa, almost dumbstruck, and Ashley glowing like a vision. Vanessa felt a clarity she’d never ever guessed at, and before she could think, because _thinking didn’t belong here_ , she’d stepped forward, reached out both hands to tangle her fingers in Ashley’s hair, and started kissing her.

And that kiss was nothing like the heavy-handed sweetness and tangy lust of Vanessa-and-Zac, it was a deep and languorous kind of taste that lingered on her tongue and made her think of candles and red velvet and black satin, of hotel rooms a kid like her was suddenly allowed to occupy. Of movies on Showtime she wasn’t supposed to see, of erotica she’d been too young to read – of everything forbidden and perfect, and Ashley’s tongue was caught up with hers and it was so – so _amazing_ – that Vanessa didn’t even question the way her knees were weak, the way she moaned.

When the kiss was over she smiled; Ashley leaned her forehead against Vanessa’s in their noses touched in a move that had been so much more innocent last week.

"What was that for?" Ashley asked, and Vanessa grinned, because her voice was unsteady and her breathing was laboured, and _she had done that_ to her. She felt so proud. So happy.

"You just looked so beautiful," was all Vanessa said, and Ashley twined her arms around Vanessa and they stood, tangled and kiss-swollen and smiling.

That was the moment it changed.

*

Vanessa’s fingers walked a trail over Zac’s chest that night, her head on his shoulder, eyes half-closed and basking. His hand was on her back and rubbing in that idle, mostly-here way, and she couldn’t stop smiling. He had been amazing that night – he was always amazing – hands exactly as rough-gentle as she could have wanted. She had gasped, writhed, surrendered to his touch, to those lips of his seeking out the softness of her skin. Every time was a transformation; every time she really _felt something_ and that was the thing about Zac, he made her feel everything; he was strong and sure and perfect.

So perfect, that when she asked if they could invite Ashley over and he asked, " _Now_?" and she had nodded with all her wide-eyed-half-smiling coyness, he had reached for the phone without a word, armed with a boyish grin.

Vanessa had always known he’d give her anything she asked. She was just _so pleased_ she’d finally figured out what to ask for.

*

When the sun came up they were sprawled together on the couch, covered in blankets and rumpled. From Zac’s lap, Vanessa was braiding Ashley’s hair, and the music was low and something they could barely hear, because not even a song could intrude on their moment.

When the birds started to sing Vanessa felt herself falling asleep, lulled into drowsiness and mumbling. The next few moments were blurry – Zac carrying her to bed; kissing his chest in sleepy gratitude; Ashley tucking the covers under her chin; gentle kisses peppering her face as she slipped into the quiet of sleep.

Her dreams were incredible.

*

Ashley was right, had always been right – it _wasn’t_ awkward. Vanessa felt complete, bubbling over with love like her heart might burst; she had never felt more relaxed in her skin. She didn’t have the words for it (she didn’t think any of them could have) but she felt deliciously _right_ ; she lived for hands in her hair, on her skin, for secret smiles and sometimes-stolen kisses.

Zac was permanently smirking, and he was such a _boy_ about it sometimes that it made Vanessa laugh; she’d even seen him strut. But she’d also seen him hold Ashley’s hand when she was upset, and she’d felt the tenderness in his lips against her temple when she was tired, and she knew – she _knew_ what he was saying, in his way, to the two of them. She knew him. And Ashley was alive with colour and energy, Ashley was so happy and free-spirited that Vanessa knew it was the right thing for her, too; she had always thought, secretly, that Ashley deserved more love than she had ever received – she put so much love into the world that it was time she got some back.

But Vanessa didn’t always think like that, with analysis and perspective and perception. Mostly, Vanessa lived her life with Zac and Ashley, and loved. Mostly, she just knew that whenever she needed a hand, a shoulder, a set of ears to listen or a body to hug against, she had two warm and unspeakably perfect people to turn to.

Mostly, she just knew she would never be alone.


End file.
